“He measured the wall of the House,”1Yechezkel 41:5. i.e., the thickness of the western wall of the Holy of Holies, “it was six cubits.” According to Rambam,2See Rambam, Middos 4:3; Hilchos Beis HaBechirah 4:4. in the Second Beis Hamikdash the wall was not a solid 6 cubits. Instead, there were two walls with open space between them.3The open space is sometimes referred to as a תא, “cell.” The width of the walls and the open space added up to 6 cubits.
It would be possible to give a similar explanation in this instance – that the “wall” referred to by the verse refers to two walls with open space between them. Accordingly, the open space would be one of the 33 side-chambers (צלעות), as reflected in the explanations below4See sections 64-69. that follow Rambam’s interpretation. We did not offer such an explanation because we want Rambam’s interpretation to accord with Targum Yonason, as will be explained in sections 64-65.
"וַיָּמָד קִיר הַבַּיִת" הוּא כֹּתֶל מַעֲרָבִי שֶׁל קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים "שֵׁשׁ אַמּוֹת" (יחזקאל מא, ה). וּבְבַיִת שֵׁנִי לְפֵרוּשׁ הָרַמְבָּ"ם (פ"ד מ"ג, ובפ"ד מבית הבחירה ה"ד) לֹא הָיָה זֶה הַכֹּתֶל עֹבִי שֵׁשׁ, אֶלָּא הָיָה בּוֹ חָלָל, וְעִם הֶחָלָל שֶׁבּוֹ עָבְיוֹ שֵׁשׁ.
“He measured the wall of the House,”1Yechezkel 41:5. i.e., the thickness of the western wall of the Holy of Holies, “it was six cubits.” According to Rambam,2See Rambam, Middos 4:3; Hilchos Beis HaBechirah 4:4. in the Second Beis Hamikdash the wall was not a solid 6 cubits. Instead, there were two walls with open space between them.3The open space is sometimes referred to as a תא, “cell.” The width of the walls and the open space added up to 6 cubits.
וְהָיִינוּ יְכוֹלִין לְפָרֵשׁ בְּכָאן כְּמוֹ כֵן שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הַכֹּתֶל חֲלוּלָה, וְיִהְיֶה זֶה הֶחָלָל אֶחָד מֵהַשָּׁלֹשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים צְלָעוֹת, אַחֲרֵי שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ פֵּרַשְׁנוּ (סימן ס"ד-ס"ט) הַשְּׁלֹשִׁים צְלָעוֹת שֶׁמֵּהֶן עַל פִּי פֵּרוּשׁ הָרַמְבָּ"ם. אֶלָּא שֶׁרָצִינוּ לְהַסְכִּים הַמְּתַרְגֵּם עִם הָרַמְבָּ"ם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן ס"ד ס"ה וְכוּ'.
It would be possible to give a similar explanation in this instance – that the “wall” referred to by the verse refers to two walls with open space between them. Accordingly, the open space would be one of the 33 side-chambers (צלעות), as reflected in the explanations below4See sections 64-69. that follow Rambam’s interpretation. We did not offer such an explanation because we want Rambam’s interpretation to accord with Targum Yonason, as will be explained in sections 64-65.